Starting and generating mechanism.



C. E. WlLSON.

STARTING AND GENERATING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED NOV-25,1914.

Patented J u h 3, 1917.

INVENTOR mar/w 5 M7500.

BY %Z/-' W VATTORNEY CHARLES E. WILSON, 0F WILKINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WESTING- HOUSE ELECTRIC AND MANUFACTURING'COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYL VANlA.

STARTING AND GENERATING MECHANISM.

Application filed November 25, 1914.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, CHARLES E. WILSON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Wilkinsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Starting and Generating Mechanisms, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to starting and generating mechanisms that are employed in connection with internal combustion engines.

My invention has for its object to provide a simple and eflicient means for automatically controlling the speed ratios between a motor-dynamo and an internal combustion engine.

My invention is particularly adapted for use in connection with the internal combustion engines of automobiles or other motor vehicles. It comprises a dynamo-electric machine which may be operated either as a motor or as a generator and means for operatively connecting it to the engine shaft at diflerent speed ratios. The change in speed ratios is accomplished automatically according as the engine constitutes the driven or the driving member.

The details of my invention will be described in connection with the accompanying drawing in which the single figure is a side view, partially in elevation and partially in section, of a portion of an internal combustion engine with my invention ap plied thereto.

. An internal combustion engine 1, only a portion of which is shown, has a crank shaft 2 and a fly wheel 3 that is provided with gear teeth 4. The engine is also provided with a cam shaft 5 which may be operatively connected to the engine shaft by any suitable means (not shown). A gear wheel 6, the diameter of which is small relatively to the fly wheel 3, is mounted upon the shaft 5.

A dynamo-electric machine 7 which may be operated as a motor to start the engine and which is then driven by the engine as a generator, is connected to the engine structure loy any suitable means as, for example, a supporting bracket 8. The armature shaft 9 of the dynamo-electric machine comprises a reduced portion 10 which is rigidly connected to a short shaft 11. A hollow screwthreaded shaft 12, which is rotatably mounted upon the reduced por i n 10 of the arma- Speeification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 3, 1917..

Serial No. 873,901.

ture shaft, is connected to the short shaft 11 by means of a coil spring 13, the respective ends of the spring being attached to the shafts 11 and 12. A pinion 14, whichis mounted upon the screw-threaded shaft 12 and is provided with screw threads for co actmg therewith, is adapted to mesh with the gear wheel 6 or the fly wheel gear teeth 4, according to its position. A housing 15 lncloses the pinion 14 and the means for connecting it to the armature shaft 9 and provides, at its outer end, a bearing for the shaft 11.

To start the engine, power is applied to the dynamo-electric machine 7 through any suitable electrical connections (not shown). Assuming that the pinion 14'is in its illustrated or initial position, the screw threaded shaft 12 rotates in a clockwise direction, as viewed from the left. Because of the engagement of the pinion 14 with the gear wheel 6, and because of the inertia of the pinion, the rotation of the screw-threaded shaft actuates the pinion to the left and effects its engagement with the gear teeth 4.

The weight of the pinion 14 may be unbalanced, as by providing recesses 16 in order to insure that it will not readily rotate with the screw-threaded shaft during the time that it is not engaged by either of the gear wheels. In case the teeth of the pinion 14 do not properly register with the fly wheel gear teeth 4, the spring 13 permits a sufficient rotative movement of the armature shaft 9 relatively to the screw-threaded shaft 12 to bring the teeth into proper position for meshing without advancing the pinion on its shaft. The dynamo-electric machine 7 then operates as a motor to rotate the engine shaft through the connections just described.

When the engine starts under its own power, the speed of the fly wheelis greatly increased and the pinion 14 is driven at a corresponding rate. The latter will accordingly rotate faster than the screw-threaded shaft 12. The result of this relative rotation is to shift the pinion 14 to the right to effect its engagement with the gear wheel 6. The pinion 14 meshes readily with the gear wheel 6 because the latter is also rotating at a comparatively high speed. The dynamo-electrio machine is then driven as a generator by means of the gear wheel 6 and the cam shaft and may furnish current for charging storage batteries and for lighting and ignition purposes.

It will be noted that I provide a simple mechanism whereby the speed ratio of the means for operatively connecting a dynamoelectric machine to an engine shaft is automatically controlled according as the dynamo-electric machine becomes the driving or the driven member. No manual control of the starting mechanism is required except that necessary for controlling the motor circuit.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a starting and generating mechanism, the combination with an engine, and a dynamo-electric machine, of means forpperatively connecting said machine to said engine at different speed ratios, said means comprising a s'hiftable pinion and means for automatically shifting said pinion when predetermined driving relations exist between the dynamo-electric machine and the engine. a

2. In a startingand generating mechanism, the combination with an engine, and

a dynamo-electric machine, of means for operatively connecting sald machine to said engine, said means comprising a pair of;

gear wheels operatively connected to the engine shaft, a shiftable pinion, and means for shifting said pinion into mesh with the one engine shaft, a shiftable pinion, and a screw- 7 or the other of said gear wheels according as the dynamo-electric machine constitutes the driving or the driven member.

.3. In a starting and generating mechanism, the combination with an engine, and a dynamo-electric machine, of means for operatively connecting said machine to said engine, said means comprising a pair of gear wheels operativelv connected to the threaded shaft for shifting said pinion into mesh with the one or the other of said gear wheels according as the dynamo-electric machine constitutes the driving or the driven member.

4:. In .a starting and generating mechanism, the combination with an engine, and

and two gear wheels operatively connected thereto, of a dynamo-electric machine, a pinion, and a screw-threaded shaft resiliently connected to the shaft of said dynamoelectric machine for-'automatically'shifting said pinion into mesh with the one or the other of said gear wheels according ,as'the engine is the driving or the driven member.

6. In a starting and generating mechanism, the combination with an engine, and a dynamo-electrlc machine, of means .for op-.

eratively connecting said machine to said engine at different speed ratios, said means comprising a shiftable member and means controlled automatically according. as the dynamo-electric machine constitutes the driving or the driven member for shifting said member. w

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 20th day of Nov.

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